Public Health



Appalachian Diseases of Despair, 2024

This study analyzes the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within the Appalachian Region, focusing on mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. It includes data through 2022 and serves as an update to previous ARC…
Report


Food Insecurity in the Appalachian Region

This report provides a comprehensive assessment of food insecurity dynamics in Appalachia—primarily through analysis of datasets from Feeding America, the American Community Survey (ACS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It highlights the realities, risks, and opportunities related to food insecurity in the region. The report also offers case…
Report


Appalachian Diseases of Despair, 2023

This study analyzes the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within the Appalachian Region, focusing on mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. It includes data through 2021 and serves as an update to previous ARC…
Report


Appalachian Diseases of Despair, 2022

This study analyzed the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within the Appalachian Region, focusing on mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. It served as an update to ARC reports from 2017 and 2020…
Report


Appalachian Diseases of Despair, 2020

This study analyzed the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within the Appalachian Region, focusing on mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. It served as an update to the 2017 ARC report looking at…
Report


Exploring Bright Spots in Appalachian Health: Case Studies

The third report in a series exploring health in the Appalachian Region, this report presents in-depth studies of 10 of the 42 “Bright Spot” counties identified through the statistical analysis described in the series’ second report.
Report


Appalachian Diseases of Despair, 2017

This study analyzed the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within Appalachia, focusing on increasing morbidity and mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease.
Report


Health Disparities in Appalachia

Health Disparities in Appalachia is the first report in a series exploring health issues in Appalachia. The 2017 report measures population health in Appalachia and documents disparities between the Region and the nation as a whole and within the Region.
Report


Health Care Costs and Access Disparities in Appalachia

This report describes the relative availability of health care resources, level of health insurance coverage and cost of providing health services in the Appalachian Region compared with the rest of the United States.
Report